The Haitian government has promoted the so-called March against Racism in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday 25 February 2015 as a way of unifying Haitians against Dominicans, at a time when the political crisis has been escalating to new levels in Haiti, says political analysis by journalist Guarionex Rosa in Listin Diario. The march ended with some of the protestors forcing entry into the Dominican consulate and taking down the Dominican flag, before raising the Haitian flag and burning the Dominican flag. The protest was praised by no less than Haiti’s Foreign Minister Duly Brutus.
Listin Diario reports that on top of that violent attack, the Haitian government has appointed a new ambassador, Daniel Supplice, without going through the normal process of requesting approval from the Dominican government. Supplice has served as Minister for Expatriate Haitians in the Martelly government. Former ambassador Fritz Cineas had resigned amidst protests in the DR by Haitians who complained that their government was the obstacle to their getting their paperwork to legalize their status under the Dominican Republic’s National Foreigner Legalization Plan. The plan expires on 15 June 2015.
Listin Diario said the march promoted by the Haitian government was organized to refocus the mass opposition to the government of President Michel Martelly and now new Prime Minister Evans Paul who replaced resigning Laurent Lamothe in December 2014. Protestors in Haiti have been demanding Martelly’s resignation.
The Dominican government also recalled Dominican ambassador in Haiti Ruben Silie, who has been in the post for six years, to Santo Domingo for consultations, as well as consul general Ramon de la Rosa.
Speaking on the issue on the Esferas de Poder TV program on Sunday 1 March 2015, former Dominican ambassador in Washington, D.C., Flavio Dario Espinal called for creating an environment where peace prevails and not violence, where differences are discussed over the table, and to avoid branding every violent situation as racist.
“This is a dangerous and risky path to tread… It is irresponsible, it unleashes passions that are not good,” he said. He expressed hope that the Haitian President would keep a cool head to understand that this needs to be stopped.
He commented that the Haitian authorities and the United Nations Stabilization Mission (Minustah) should actively prevent another violent attack on Dominican diplomatic and consular missions.
“We expect the missions to be provided with sufficient protection in Haiti, so that the protestors cannot get close,” he said. He suggested that the Dominican government place a formal complaint to the UN Minustah and the United Nations Security Council requesting protection of its missions.
Espinal said that while demonstrators are free to protest, the Haitian state is responsible for protecting the foreign missions.
In his opinion, the Haitian foreign minister’s stance is dangerous and shows a lack of responsibility. The Ministry of Foreign Relations of Haiti reportedly sent the Ministry of Foreign Relations in the Dominican Republic a letter accusing the country of xenophobia and racism. He recalled a similar accusation being made by former President Jean Bertrand Aristide with a “completely demagogic and irresponsible tone.”
The accusations come at a time when the Dominican government has begun a series of initiatives to tackle the immigration issue and implement the National Foreigner Legalization Plan after decades of adopting a laissez faire approach. As part of the plan, the Dominican Republic has waived charges for foreigners to legalize their status.
Minister of Interior and Police Jose Ramon Fadul attributed the recent incidents to Haiti being “a failed state.”
http://acento.com.do/2015/actualidad/8226989-espinal-sugiere-elevar-ante-onu-y-minustah-queja-por-agresion-consulado/
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/02/28/i1034111_esperan-que-afecte-comercio-entre-repblica-dominicana-hait.html